Clamshell containers are popular in the fast food and carry-out industries and are often formed from a single unitary blank of paperboard material. These containers have been met with widespread acceptance, are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can be recycled after use. However, one problem that has been encountered with such clamshell containers has been their tendency to buckle or bind along their back wall panels as they are being closed by restaurant crew or opened by customers. For example, when a top cover portion is lifted and folded back on a center hinge in the rear portion of the container, the region adjacent the hinge and rear wall panels tends to flex and bow. This problem is sometimes referred to as “oil canning” because a portion of the rear region of the container can distort as the opening begins and then eventually pop back into its proper and intended configuration. In some instances, the act of trying to fully open the cover and forcibly overcome the buckling can result in a torn container and/or spilled contents.
As such, a need exists for a simple and effective anti-binding construction for a clamshell container formed from a unitary blank of paperboard or other suitable material.